Fair lead



Dec. 26, 1933. J. E, DALE 1,941,250

FAIR LEAD Original Filed Dec. 30, 1929 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Bat. 26, 1933 FA R Jam es E. Dale, Milwaukee, Wis.

Original application: December30, 1929, Serial No. 417,397. Patent No, 1,797,331, March 24, g '1931. Divided and this application February 7 I 19, 193 'S'erialNo. 511 p This invention relates to iairleads for'hoists andthe present application is a division'of my pending application for fair .leads filed De.cem;- ber 30, 1929, Serial No. 417,39'7'no'w Patent No.

7 1,797,331, granted March 24, 1931.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel form of traveling guide which not only guides but also grips the cable to prevent the same from uncoiling and entangling under any circumstances. If, for instance, the cable should be under heavy tension as in pulling a stump and the stump is suddenly released by the ground or the cable snaps under excessive load, the gripping engagement between the guide and the cable will hold the convolutions properly positioned and tightly wound on the drum even though tension of the cable beyond the guide be entirely relieved. Another advantage of the guide resides in its ability to automatically position itself at the proper level for effective cooperation with the cable. Thus, as the cable is built up on the drum in successive layers the guide will raise automatically and on the other hand when the cable is paid out'and there are less layers on the drum, the guide will lower automatically. The guide partakes of the same action depending upon the relative level of the load with respect to the hoist.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which willbe herein-.

after more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a elevation and partly in section showing a drum' of a hoist having a fair lead organizedtherewith and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary viewin section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on line .3-3.

of Fig. 2.

For the general construction of the hoist, reference is made to my pending application above referred to. For the purpose of the present invention it will besufficient to understand that the manner.

The present invention proposes the provision of a fair lead including a traveling carrier made up of curved or arc-shaped parts or sections lil 'an d lz'secured together by bolts 13 (see Figure 2). section '11 is provided with "a guide 14 at one ,end whichslidably receivesa transverse guide rod 15 extending between and secured to the side frame. members of the hoist, 69

as shown in Figure 1. "Thefother end of the sec- *tion 11 of the carrier is formed with a nut 16 which is interfitted with a double threaded or ,rotatably mounted on pins 20 fastened in oppo- 9 sitely disposed U-shaped brackets 21. The U- shaped brackets 21 have their legs formed with lugs 22 which extend into the guide-way formed between the sections 11 and 12 to slidably sup- For 75 gaged with the lugs 22 of one of the brackets. On

each bolt 23 a spring 24 is mounted and is urged against the adjacent lug 22 by means of a nut 25 threaded on the outer end of the bolt. The cable wound on the drum 4 is designated atC and passes between and is gripped and guided by 85 the pulleys 19 as shown in Figure 2.

The screw 17 is rotatably supported at its ends in bearings and 31 suitably secured to the side frame members 2 of the hoist (see Figure 1).

Adjacent the bearing member 31 a sprocket wheel 99 32 is provided and has its teeth 33 offset from 7 its hub 34. The hub 34 is suitably secured as at 35 to the screwl'l. The teeth 33 of the sprocket wheel 32v are disposed adjacent and in overlapping relation to a flange 36 formed at one end of 5 the drum, as clearly shown in Figure l. A suitable number of drive pins 38 are mounted on the v flange 36 and coact with the teeth 33 of the sprocket wheel 32 to rotate the sprocket wheel and consequently the screw 1'7 whenever thelQ drum is rotated. I

It will be noted that the pulleys 19 are urged into gripping engagement with the cable by the springs 24. Due to this gripping engagement the s convolutions of the cable on the drum are re- .11

tained in proper position and under proper tension even where there is no tension on the cable beyond the pulleys 19. This feature is especially desirable as it avoids ,uncoiling and entangling of the convolutions of the cable on the drum un- 11 v der the influence of back lash or when the load on the cable is suddenly released as well as under other conditions.

Further, the pulleys 19 are so mounted and. supported in the traveling carrier as to be selfleveling under the influence of the cable. In

other words, the pulley assembly rises and falls 7 depending upon the level of the load or upon the number of layers of cable wrapped about the drum.

The invention claimed is:

1. A fair lead for use with the cables of hoisting mechanism including a slotted carrier supported for traversing movement with respect to' the hoist, said carrier having alined front and rear slots to provide for the passage of the cable therethrough and also having side slots, a pair of oppositely arranged U-shaped brackets having outwardly directed lugs slidably interfitted with the side slots of the carrier, spring meansconnected with the lugs for urging the brackets together and pulleys rotatably mounted on the brackets and engageable with the cable 'under the influence of said spring means. i 2. 'A fair'l'ead for usewith the cables of hoisting drums a'ndcomprising a carrier, a pair of cable on the drum.

3. A fair lead for use with the cables of a hoisting mechanism and comprising a carrier having means at its end adapted to coact with supporting and traversing mechanism, said carrier having a slot extending fore and aft therethrough to provide a passage for the cables, pulleys mounted in said fore and aftslot and engageable with the cab1es, means mounting the pulleys for rotation and for floating movement longitudinally of the carrier; said carrier having transverse slots extending longitudinally thereof and said means having elements projecting into said slots for guiding the pulleys as they shift bodily with respect to the, carrier.

' JAMES E. DALE.

' iao 

